Edison’s McCade Barrett celebrates with quarterback Griffin O’Connor after he caught a pass for a touchdown against La Habra in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s McCade Barrett reaches up to catch a pass over La Habra’s Isaiah Alcocer in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s Hunter Griggs, right, is pulled down by Andrew Ueli-FAaatoalia after taking the ball down near the end zone in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

La Habra’s Skyler Taylor, center, avoids a tackle as he streaks for a big gain against Edison in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

La Habra’s quarterback Zach Fogel looks to fire a pass against Edison in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s McCade Barrett celebrates with quarterback Griffin O’Connor after he caught a pass for a touchdown against La Habra in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s Hunter Griggs, right, is pulled down by Andrew Ueli-FAaatoalia after taking the ball down near the end zone in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

La Habra’s Skyler Taylor, left, runs into the end zone for a touchdown against Edison in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

La Habra’s Isaiah Alcocer, left, breaks up a pass intended for Edison’s David Atencio, right, in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s Brandon Moradian, center, celebrates with teammates after winning their CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against La Habra in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A La Habra player is consoled after the Highlanders fell to Edison in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

La Habra’s quarterback Zach Fogel, left, is brought down by Edison’s Brandon Moradian in La Habra during overtime in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s Griffin OÕConnor, right, scores a touchdown during overtime play in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s Brandon Moradian, center, steps in front of La Habra’s Deavyn Woullard, right, to intercept a pass in La Habra’s end zone during overtime play in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s Mateo Gallego gets a hug after the Chargers’ victory over La Habra in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s Griffin OÕConnor is sacked by a La Habra defensive player in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Edison’s David Atencio, left, gets a hand on La Habra’s Skyler Taylor leg to trip him up during overtime play in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

La Habra fans watch the close game between the Highlanders and the Edison Chargers in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

La Habra’s Tyler Casados, left, and teammate Andrew Soto run onto the field carrying the US flag and the school flag before the start of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Edison in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The La Habra Highlander band plays as they walk onto the field before the start of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game agaisnt Edison in La Habra on Friday, November 10, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

La Habra, trailing by one point after a touchdown in overtime, Skyler Taylor took the handoff and tried to twist his way into the end zone. A group of Edison Chargers, led by Hunter Griggs and Brandon Moradian, pulled Taylor down a foot-and-a-half short of the goal line and Edison won 28-27 in a CIF-Southern Section Division 2 first-round playoff game at La Habra High.

Edison, which improved to 8-3, will play Oaks Christian of Westlake Village (9-2) in the second round next week. It will be an Edison home game. Oaks Christian defeated Arroyo Grande, 42-13, Friday.

Edison lost to Oaks Christian, 24-19, at Huntington Beach High, the likely location for next week’s rematch.

La Habra, which finished 7-4, had scored on Taylor’s 17-yard run, his second touchdown of the game to make it 28-27. Highlanders coach Frank Mazzotta called time out to go over options, and decided to go for the win.

Regulation ended in a 21-21 tie. Edison took the lead on a 2-yard run by senior quarterback Griffin O’Connor and Jack Morrell kicked what turned out to be a crucial extra point for a 28-21 lead.

In the first round of overtime, La Habra’s OT-opening possession ended when Moradian sacked La Habra quarterback Zach Fogel on fourth down. Edison’s first overtime possession did not yield points, either – Morrell’s 35-yard field goal attempt was short by two feet.

O’Connor passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Edison senior running back Jack Carmichael, in his first game since a leg fracture in September, rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown.

Taylor rushed for 182 yards on 24 carries. Fogel passed for 139 yards and two touchdowns.

Edison had a 21-14 lead at halftime. The Highlanders tied it in the third quarter on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Fogel to Deavyn Woullard. The fourth quarter was scoreless.

Edison scored on its game-opening possession with O’Connor throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Eden for a 7-0 Edison lead.

The Highlanders tied it on their first possession. Taylor scored on a 19-yard touchdown run.

Edison went ahead, 14-7, on a 2-yard touchdown run by Carmichael. La Habra tied it again, this time on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Fogel to Mitch Anderson. Edison regained the lead, 21-14, on O’Connor’s 25-yard touchdown pass to McCade Barrett.

Edison, which finished second to Los Alamitos in the Sunset League, is trying for a second consecutive CIF-SS football championship. The Chargers won the Division 3 title last year.
La Habra had gone undefeated in the Freeway League to take the league championship.

Steve Fryer covers high school sports at the Orange County Register. He writes a weekly column on the county high school sports scene and also covers games and writes features. Steve also writes a weekly column that covers pro and college sports, and other topics. Steve does concert reviews for the Register, too, when time permits. Steve's first byline appeared in the Register in 1979. He was in the inaugural class inducted into the Santa Ana Unified School District Sports Hall of Fame. Steve also is in the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, and was the first journalist to receive the Contribution to Education award from the Orange County Department of Education. Steve was honored as Champion for Character by the CIF-Southern Section.

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